Hanger carton



Oct. 10, 1961 H. FIELD ETAL 3,

HANGER CARTON Filed Feb. 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. i. 1 75. 2.

INVENTORS Huey F7410 BY do: F/ua =4 TTUEA/EL Oct. 10, 1961 H. FIELD ETAL3,003,616

HANGER CARTON Filed Feb. 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 x i-L INVENTORS HARRYFIELD By dos FIELD b p o a United States Patent 3,003,616 Patented Oct.10, 1961 3,003,616 HANGER CARTON Harry Field, 5942 N. St. Louis Ave.,and Joe Field, 6336 N. Oakley Ave., both of Chicago, Ill. Filed Feb. 16,1955, Ser. No. 488,532 6 Claims. (Cl. 206 7) The present inventionrelates to reinforced cardboard or double faced corrugated board packingcases and concerns itself more particularly with articles of this classadapted to contain for shipment suit coat garments or other wearablesadapted to be suspended from hangers.

This invention is an improvement upon our application, Serial No.442,482, filed July 12, 1954.

Manufacturers of various classes of garments require suitable packagingcontainers which not only afford valuable protective characteristicsagainst damage and injury to the cargo during shipment, but also whichafford increased facilities and conveniences for filling and loading.These considerations have particular regard to facile accessibility,erection of the packaging units and compactness of the components beforeassembly. All of these factors influence commercial attractiveness frommanufacturers view point because each reflects an element of economyeither in storage space or labor which influences the base cost andprofit margin considerations of the industry.

Accordingly, a prime object of the present invention is to provide aneconomically constructible garment package which has abundant qualitiesof sturdiness and ruggedness to withstand against the adversities ofcommon carrier handling and shipping characteristics.

Another object of the present invent-ion is to provide in such aneconomically constructed and durable packing case features of assemblyand erection which may be performed by relatively unskilled labor andpreferably without the use of riveting, stapling, or other special toolsand machinery.

Another object of the invention is to provide in such a garment packingcase an interior liner component having a swingable portion in one ofits walls whereby to afford sidewise accessibility for the insertion ofgarments during packing while yet avoiding a consequent weakening of theencasement qualities in respect to their ability to withstand buffetingand similar destructive forces.

Yet another object of the present invention is to pro vide a garmentpackaging device having an interior foldable liner that may be formedwith a single sheet together with a sheet metallic supporting beam thatmay be slid clampingly over opposed wall components of the liner toserve as a supporting strut for garment hangers as well as a clampingstructural member for rigidifying and strengthening the liner.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a garmentpackaging unit including a transversely extending supporting beam fromwhich garments disposed upon hangers may be suspended, together with astabilizing and space-filling insertion element disposed in a secureinsertable manner to repose in contour following proximity over theinclined shoulder sloping features of an assembly of garments suspendedfrom hangers.

The foregoing and other objects and purposes of this invention will bebetter understood during the course of the following detaileddescription in connection with the accompanying drawings, as well asfrom the hereinafter appended claims. In the following description aswell as in the drawings like reference numerals designate correspondingparts throughout, and in the illustrations:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a garment packaging assemblyfeaturing the several components in partially disassembled but relativepositions;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same article fully assembled as inreadiness for shipment;

FIG. 3 is a detail perspective view of the formed beam and clamp elementwhich constitutes part of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrated in an inverted positionand loaded with garments to illustrate the working effectiveness of thestabilizer element against permitting dislodgemcnt and accidentalrelease of the garments and their hangers;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken approximately on line6-6 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately online 7--7 of FIG. 6.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, thereference numeral 11 designates generally a liner portion of the packingcase visible in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 which is made up of the contiguous sidewalls 12 and 13, in this instance forming the wider dimension, the backwall 14, and the front wall which is horizontally slashed as at 15 tocomprise an uppermost swingable or door-like section 16, and a lowermostrelatively stable section 17. The liner may be folded from a singlerectangular sheet scored at the corners 18 to facilitate folding, aswell as longitudinally to facilitate the infolding of the invertedpocket flanges 19, 21, 22 and 23. Preferably the flanges just describedare first folded downwardly in a horizontal manner on the common scoreline, after which the wall sections are folded on their vertical scorelines 18 to bring the liner into the rectangular configuration in whichit is illustrated in FIG. 1.

Where the stable panel 17 of the front wall section of the liner meetsthe edge of side wall section 13, shown in FIG. 1 with a minor portionvisible above the abutting edge level 24 of heel component 25, a tapemay be applied if desired, although adequate stability is attained whenthe liner is inserted into the heel even without such precautions.

Additional stability may be at once imparted to the liner by theapplication thereto of the formed clamp element and hanger support beam26, FIG. 3. This element is advantageously formed of sheet metal stockwith its main body or strut portion having substantially invertedU-shaped cross-section. The side flanges 27 and 28 of the clamp elementstrut extend the length of the strut to a distance just short of theextremity, as best indicated at 29, FIG. 7, providing a space thereat inrelation to the clamp panels 31 suitable for receiving a doublethickness of the corrugated fiberboard such as made up of either theside wall 12 or '13 together with its infolded flange 22 or 19.

By placing the clamp element into its position as shown in FIG. 1, notonly will the infolded flanges 22 and 19 be thereby securely clampedbetween the beam extremities 29 and the end panels 31, but also a rigidand sturdy hanger beam is thereby afiorded over which the hook portions33 of the garment hangers 34 may be suspended. This arrangement issuitable both for conventional types of wire garment hangers as well asfor formed plastic or wood fabricated hangers, and although notessential, some advantages may be achieved if the hook portions 33thereof are flattened as at 35 to retard to a moderate degree againstpivotal swinging of the hangers in cases of narrow shoulder widthgarments.

The heel component 25 is preferably provided in fiat condition, that isto say with its vertical seam taped together, but otherwise scored andslashed to direct readily its assembly into the rectangular outlineshown, after the conventional manner of foldable boxes. This practice issimilarly followed in connection with the cap portion 37 which, exceptfor its greater vertical dimension, is otherwise similar in formationand appearance to the heel component.

After a load of garments placed upon hangers 34 has been insertedthrough the opening afforded by the swing-away door section 16 to thesupporting beam 26, an operation which in itself permits greaterfacility in the placement and orderly array of the garments thanheretofore known, a quality of compactness against disarrangement willbe attained from the compressive qualities of the garments themselvesunder tension, particularly when the cap is placed into closureposition, FIG. 2.

However, in order to further secure the stability of the packaging unitagainst inadvertent dislodgement of its contents, a stabilizer, FIGS. 1and 5, is provided consisting of an element designated generally 41folded on score lines provided at the edges marked 42, 43, 44, 45, 46and 47. On the score lines 42 and 47 there are folded the opposedupstanding insertion tabs 48 and 49. One of these tabs may be forcedbehind the rearmost infolded pocket flange 2.1 after the garments areinstalled in the manner shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 so that its nextcontiguous panel 51 may then repose against the sloping shoulder line ofthe garments arrayed on their several hangers. Beyond the fold line 46the panel 52 will then repose against one side of the beam element suchas 28 as well as against the hanger hooks 33 placed thereover.Correspondingly, the top panel 54 and the next panel thereto indicated55 will encompass the corresponding sides of the array of hanger hooks33, boxing them in so to speak, against dislodgement. The oppositesloping panel 56 will then rest against the shoulders of the supportedgarments particularly when the final insertion panel 48 is forced toassume its position behind the infolded pocket flange 23.

The utility of the insertion stabilizer will be readily understood byobserving FIG. 5 which shows the manner in which this elementcontributes an important support to the garments should they beinadvertently inverted, as cargo shipments at some time during theirtravel are likely to become. In addition to this security, thestabilizer 41 provides a secondary protective cover against dustinfiltration and other undesirable effects as where garments are kept instorage in such containers during warehousing or off-seasonally.

It is to be observed from the foregoing that a facile erection shippingbox is provided in which the component parts may be kept in fiatcondition until needed, and may be instantly erected for utilization ordismantled and restored to their flat condition. It is also to be notedthat no staples, rivets or other special machinery applied adjuncts areneeded, although where desired such can be handily utilized. Finally,after the box comprised of the inner t-liner 11 has been encased by theheel and cap outer sections 25 and 37, a permanent secure shippingpackage is attained merely by the application of a sealing strip 61around the meeting or abutting seam 24 from which the outer sectionsseparate.

While the present invention has been explained and described withreference to certain structural contemplation, it will be understoodnevertheless that numerous changes and modifications are susceptible ofbeing incorporated within the essential spirit or scope thereof.Accordingly, for an understanding of this invention in its equivalentextent, reference should be had to the following claims. a

The invention claimed is:

l. A packing case for containing shipment quantities of wearing apparelcomprising, an interior or liner member folded from a single sheet ofcorrugated paper-board into four contiguous panels constituting theback, side and front walls, the uppermost edge of the single sheet fromwhich said liner is formed being first marginally infolded at a toplevel thereof to provide a perimetric arrangement of pocket flangesthereat of inverted V shape, an exterior case structure comprising aheel component box section for snugly encompassing the lower extremityof said liner member and extending to a predetermined horizontal levelthereof, a cap component complementing said exterior case structure andcomprising a box section snugly fitting over said liner for abuttingsaid heel component at said predetermined horizontal level, and aclamping and load carrying element comprising a beam section ofsubstantially inverted U-shaped cross-section corresponding in length tothe distance between opposed infolded flanges of said liner and havingopposed downwardly bent clamping plates for engaging and clamping saidopposed liner walls against the ends of the U-shaped beam section, astabilizer member comprising a space filler sheet of corrugated boardscored and folded to provide at its extremities insertion tabs forplacement behind the infolded pocket flanges of said liner on oppositeside Walls paralleling the clamping and load carrying element beamsection, and intermediate said insertion tabs, having panel sectionssloping to follow the configuration of supported garment hangers, andfurther panels encompassing the beam section of said clamping element aswell as hanger hooks suspended therefrom.

2. A transportation packaging unit for hanger supported garmentsincluding, an interior liner folded from a single rectangular sheet ofpaper-board into four contiguous side wall panels, said side wall panelsconstituting similar and opposite pairs, each of said side wall panelsincluding a downwardly infolded flange portion constituting a doublethickness fringe portion and inverted pockets at the top edge thereof,of inverted V-shape, a stabilizing beam including extreme plate elementsdefining upwardly extending notch recesses for receiving the doublethickness fringe portions of one pair of said opposed side wall panelsand a transverse strut element for bracing said panels thereat as Wellas for receiving thereover the Suspension books of garment hangers, astabilizing and filler element formed of a single sheet of paper-boardand comprising extreme panels for reentrant insertion into the invertedpockets behind the downwardly infolded flanges of the other of said pairof opposed side panels and intermediate panels for reposing upon alignedgarment hangers suspended from said strut element, and an exterior casecomprising telescoping case components snugly fitting over said interiorliner and meeting each other at an intermediate level at which to beintegrated to each other.

3. A transportation packaging unit for hanger supported garmentsincluding, an interior liner folded from a single sheet into fourcontiguous sidewall panels of similar opposite pairs, each of saidsidewall panels including a downwardly infolded flange portion formingwith its adjacent panel an inverted \I.-shaped pocket fringe at' the topedge of said liner, a frontal one of said sidewall panels beinghorizontally cut across its width from a corner of said liner at whichthe cndsof said single sheet meet to its opposite side flanking cornerat which said liner is folded whereby a portion of said frontal sidewallpanel is formed into a side access door, a stabilizing beam includingextreme plate elements defining upwardly extending notch recesses forreceiving the double thickness fringe of the pair of opposite sidewallpanels which adjoin said frontal panel, said beam including a transversestrut element for bracing said adjoining panels thereat as well as forreceiving thereover the suspension hooks of garment hangers, astabilizing and filler element formed of a single sheet of paper-boardand comprising extreme panels for reentrant insertion into the spacebeneath the downwardly infolded flanges of the other pair of said panelsand intermediate panels for reposing upon aligned garment hangerssuspended from said strut element, and an exterior case comprisingtelescoping fitted components covering said interior liner and meetingeach other at an intermediate level of said liner.

4. A package case for a plurality of garments each on a shoulder hanger,said case including a closed bottom and four vertical walls togetherforming a vertical rectangular chute closed at the bottom and open atthe top, the four walls constituting one continuous sheet of paper boardfolded to form front, rear and side walls, at least two oppositevertical walls having reenforcement means each comprising an invertedV-shaped fold of the paper board of said Walls and each extending acrossthe full widths thereof at the tops thereof and each fold being integralwith the wall surface that it is reenforcing across substantially thefull width of such wall surface, a stationary garment support and tierod structure adapted to receive and hold a plurality of side by sidegarment sustaining hangers, said structure including a rod extendingacross the top of the case between said two opposite top reenforcedvertical side walls and said structure resting on and being supported bythe apices of said two folds and including portions each straddling oneof the folds and holding the folded ends of the corresponding verticalwalls in position, a part of one of the vertical walls that is betweenthe said two opposite vertical walls that sustain saidgarment-supporting rod having a line of severance therethrough to permithin ing of that vertical wall at the line of fold that joins it to anadjacent one of the garment rod supporting vertical walls to form anentrance door portion to the interior of the case, said door portionextending vertically from the top of the case for a major portion of theheight of the case, each fold extending from its vertical wall inwardlyinto the case and providing reenforcements without increasing theoutside dimensions of the horizontal cross section at the top of thecase as compared to the outside dimensions of the case immediately belowthe fold, a member for holding garments on their hangers in the event ofinversion of said packing case, said member comprising a sheet ofcorrugated board adapted for positioning overlying said rod and bentdownwardly therefrom on opposite sides thereof to form sloping panelsoverlying the hanger, each sloping panel terminating in an upwardly bentwing adapted to be forced into position in the crotch of an invertedV-shaped fold at the top of an adjacent vertical wall.

5. A seructure such as is defined in claim 4 wherein said closure meanscomprises an inverted box-like cap closed at the top and open at thebottom and telescoped over said four vertical walls.

6. A package case for a plurality of garments each on a shoulder hanger,said case comprising a lower inner component and an upper outercomponent, the inner component including a closed bottom and fourvertical walls together forming a vertical rectangular chute closed atthe bottom and open at the top, the four walls constituting onecontinuous sheet of paper board folded to form front, rear and sidewalls, at least two opposite vertical walls having reenforcement meansextending across the full widths thereof at the tops thereof, thereenforcing means being located inwardly of the vertical wall on theinside of the chute thereby providing reenforcement without increasingthe outside dimensions of the horizontal cross section at the top of theinner component as compared to the outside dimension of the innercomponent immediately below said reenforcing means, and each reenforcingmeans being joined with the wall surface that it is reenforcing acrosssubstantially the full width of said wall surface to prevent separationof the top of such wall surface from the reenforcing means along thefull Width of said wall surface, a stationary garment support rodadapted to receive and hold a plurality of side by side garmentsustaining hanger said rod extending across the top of the innercomponent between said two opposite top reenforced vertical side wallsand supported by said two opposite vertical paper board walls at saidreenforcements and being held against axial shifting and againstshifting in a direction transversely of said two opposite walls, one ofthe vertical walls that is between the said two opposite vertical wallsthat sustain said garment supporting rod having a line of severancetherethrough to permit hinging of that one vertical wall at the line offold that joins it to an adjacent one of the garment rod supportingvertical walls to form an entrance door portion to the interior of theinner component, said door portion extending vertically for a majorportion of the height of the inner component, whereby the case may bepacked with garments on hangers by placing the garments into the casethrough the open door and the packed case can be inspected through theopen top thereof to determine proper positioning of the garments in thecase at the side thereof opposite said door, the outer component alsoconstituting a continuous sheet of paper board cut and folded to form aclosed top and four vertical walls forming a rectangular chute closed atthe top and open at the bottom and making a sliding tit over the fourvertical walls of the inner component so that it may be telescopeddownwardly over the open top of the inner component to close the opentop thereof while the inner component loaded with garments suspendedfrom said rod remains stationary and supports the rod, the outercomponent extending over the inner component to a depth at leastcovering substantially the entire door portion of the inner componentand constituting an endless band encircling the inner component forsubstantially the entire height of the door and thus restraining theinner component against outward bulging throughout the line of severanceconstituting the door.

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